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Parents of peanut allergy victim back new California legislation

One year ago this week, a Carmichael girl died while camping after she took a bite of a treat she didn't know contained peanuts. Natalie Giorgi was 13. Her parents, Joanne and Louis Giorgi joined us at KCRA 3 on Wednesday to discuss the new reality they've come to live with, and share their support for Senate Bill 1266. The legislation at the California state Capitol might help prevent future food allergy-related deaths, as the parents hope to keep spreading awareness about these types of allergies.

One year ago this week, a Carmichael girl died while camping after she took a bite of a treat she didn't know contained peanuts. Natalie Giorgi was 13. Her parents, Joanne and Louis Giorgi joined us at KCRA 3 on Wednesday to discuss the new reality they've come to live with, and share their support for Senate Bill 1266. The legislation at the California state Capitol might help prevent future food allergy-related deaths, as the parents hope to keep spreading awareness about these types of allergies.

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Updated: 9:33 PM PDT Aug 13, 2014

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WEBVTT ALL 39 ELEMENTARYS IN THE ELK GROVE DISTRICT HAS STOPPED SERVING ANY PEANUT. NATALEE GEORGY BIT INTO A SNACK TREAT THAT SHE DID NOT KNOW HAD PEANUTS IN IT. HER STORY BROUGHT AWARENESS TO THE DANGERS OF SEVERE PEANUT ALLERGIES AND NOW HER PARENTS ARE BACKING LEGISLATION CURRENTLY AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE. SB 12 66 WILL UPDATE CALIFORNIA'S EXISTING LAW REQUIRING ALL PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS TO STOCK UP-EFREN AND -- TO STOCK UP AT BURN ON EPINEFREN. IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU IN OUR STUDIO WITH US TODAY. THANK YOU. THIS PAST YEAR HAS BEEN A LONG JOURNEY. TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN THAT'S WHAT IT'S BEEN LIKE THIS PAST YEAR -- WHAT IT'S BEEN LIKE THIS PAST YEAR. VERY DEVASTATING FOR OUR FAMILY. IT IS A NEW REALITY THAT WE HAVE COME TO LIVE WITH EVERYDAY. -- EVERY DAY. BUT WHICH ARE TO GO FORWARD EVERY DAY, LIVE OUR LIVES TO HONOR NATALIE. THAT IS HOW WE FIND OURSELVES HERE, LENDING OUR VOICE TO THE CAUSE OF ALLERGY AWARENESS. YOU WERE PLANNING ON HEADING OVER TO BE WITH HER GRAVESITE TODAY AND YOU STOPPED IN TO TALK WITH US. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK SHE WOULD, TOO. I DO', TOO . . THAT'S WHY WE CAME. . ONE SCHOOL VOLUNTARILY SAID, LET'S MAKE THIS WILL CLASSROOM PEANUT FREE. IN THE END, I THINK WE ARE CHARGED TO TRY TO -- WE WANT TO SEND OUR KIDS TO SCHOOL AND OUR HOPE AS PARENTS AS THEY WILL BE SAFE AT SCHOOL. WITH THE PREVALENCE OF FOOD ALLERGIES ON THE RISE, WHEN IN 13 CHILDREN ARE -- ONE IN 13 JORDAN ARE AFFECTED. -- ONE IN 13 CHILDREN ARE AFFECT ED. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT IS ON THE BOOKS RIGHT NOW. THERE IS A SYSTEM SET UP WHERE THE EPIPEN CAN BE BROUGHT IN PURSUIT AND -- IN FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS. IN THE END, WE ARE HOPING THAT THE CHILD HAS AN UPDATED EPINEPHRINE PEN WITH HIM OR HER FOR WHEN THEY MIGHT NEED THE MEDICINE. THE BILL WOULD ALLOW , LIKE A FIRE EXTINCTION, ANYONE OF US, LIKE A TEACHER OR STAFF CAN ADMINISTER IT. 25% OF THE TIME, THOSE EVENTS ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PREVIOUSLY UNDIAGNOSED. SO IT IS FOR BOTH KIDS, THOSE WHO ARE DIAGNOSED AND THOSE WHO ARE NOT DIAGNOSED. THE CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION PUT OUT A STATEMENT AFTER WE ASKED THEM TO COMMENT ON THIS. THEY SAID IT IS USING -- TEACHERS ARE NOT NURSES. THEY SAID THE BEST SOLUTION IS TO HIRE BACK THE NURSES AND LET THEM DO WHAT THEY DO BEST AND THAT IS TO TEACH. I KNOW YOU WERE TELLING ONE OF OUR PRODUCERS THAT YOU GET A LITTLE PUSHBACK FROM PEOPLE SOMETIMES. YOU ARE NODDING YOUR HEAD. WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THAT? I WOULD FIRST START BY SAYING THAT WE ARE NOT POLITICIANS. FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE ARE PARENTS. WE RECOGNIZE -- I THINK EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THAT IT WOULD THE GREAT TO HAVE NURSES. HOWEVER, BECAUSE THAT IS NOT THE REALITY, WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TODAY TO PROTECT THESE KIDS WHO ARE IN OUR SCHOOLS. THE INCREASE IN FOOD ALLERGIES HAS GROWN DRAMATICALLY SINCE 1997. 50%. WE NEED TO HAVE STEPS IN PLACE LIKE YOU HAVE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, AN AED, LIKE WE HAVE OTHER EMERGENCY DRILLS. I AM NOT A POLITICIAN, BUT I AM THE DAUGHTER OF A RETIRED TEACHER AND THE NIECE OF A FORMER SUPERINTENDENT AND FRIENDS WHO ARE WONDERFUL TEACHERS AND THERE ARE POSITIONS OF PROFESSIONS OUT THERE AND HAVING THIS MEDICATION WILL HELP PROVIDE SAFETY. IT WOULD SIMPLY GIVE THEM THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED. TWO OUT OF THE 26 KIDS IN THAT SCHOOL ARE ALREADY CARRYING EPI-PENS. THIS WOULD ALLOW THEM TO ALL HAVE ACCESS TO THIS MEDICINE. APPRECIATE YOU COMING OUT TO TO TALK TO US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY. WE WISH THE BEST FOR YOU.

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Parents of peanut allergy victim back new California legislation

One year ago this week, a Carmichael girl died while camping after she took a bite of a treat she didn't know contained peanuts. Natalie Giorgi was 13. Her parents, Joanne and Louis Giorgi joined us at KCRA 3 on Wednesday to discuss the new reality they've come to live with, and share their support for Senate Bill 1266. The legislation at the California state Capitol might help prevent future food allergy-related deaths, as the parents hope to keep spreading awareness about these types of allergies.